3.03.2011

Really Chilly 5K

You can see me by my blue scarf and magenta head band, trying to stay warm in the 28 degree misty rain. All things considered, the weather was better than it could have been.

John didn't run, but he came along to take pictures and be supportive.

The course was mostly pretty flat and went by quickly. Thankfully there were only a few snowy spots and the roads were well salted. Though I had my concerns all week about whether the road would be too icy for racing, I was able to maintain the pace I wanted.

Almost to the finish!

The race ended inside. My glasses were really wet from the rain and then they sort of fogged up when we got inside, so I was a little confused about where the finish was at first. But I was able to finish with enough effort to sprint at the end.

My time was somewhere between 28:00 and 28:11. This was my first 5K under 30 minutes, and it's a goal I've had for over a year, so I was pretty pleased! When my glasses cleared enough for me to see the finish clock, and it still said 27:xx.... I knew I would finish well under my time goal and I think I said "YES!" to myself as I came up to the finish.

I find races in London are a bit pricier than the local Bloomington 5Ks were, but the swag is also nicer. For the Really Chilly race we got long sleeve tech shirts, in this extremely vibrant blue color. Here I am modeling it after my run on Wednesday.

I feel like my eyes look a little crazed in this picture. It's the endorphins, I swear.

My next race isn't until May, but it's a 10K, so I need to make up a training plan and get started in a couple of days. The last one I did was my first, and my only goals will be to run the entire time and to beat my previous time of about 64:00 (something I feel should be well within my reach). By then, who knows - maybe the snow will be gone and I'll be racing in shorts!